Year 4, 5 & 6
Selective Test Preparation Courses
Years 4, 5 and 6. Small-group classes. Personalised attention. Always.
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The Foundations Course is for students who need a stepping stone between school content and WEMT theory.
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The Intensive English Course is designed for students to practise and better develop their writing and reading comprehension skills.
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Our WEMT classes are designed to help students build on their knowledge and further their understanding in Selective level Writing, Reading, Mathematical Reasoning and Thinking Skills.
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Our Selective Trial Test Course is designed to help your child practice exam techniques for speed and accuracy under simulated exam conditions.
For more information about Selective Schools and the Selective Test, please read our Selective Schools Guide.
What is the Selective Test?
Selective High Schools in NSW are designed for academically gifted students from Year 7 onwards, offering an advanced and highly competitive learning environment. These schools bring together high-achieving students and provide specialised teaching that extends beyond the standard curriculum.
To gain entry, students must sit the Selective High School Placement Test in Year 6.
Competition Overview
In 2025, around 18,000 students sat the Selective test.
Only 4,248 places were available.
That means around 24% gained an offer.
With competition this tough, the right preparation makes all the difference.
Alpha One’s Selective Preparation courses provide a complete pathway to success — building core skills through our Foundations Course, strengthening reading and writing with Intensive English Course, extending knowledge with WEMT (Selective Theory), and sharpening exam performance with the Selective Trial Tests (STTC).
WEMT Classes
2.5 hours per week
10 weeks per term
Max. 8 students per class
[Writing/ English (Reading)/ Mathematical Reasoning/ Thinking Skills]
Our WEMT classes for Years 4, 5 and 6 focus on developing students’ understanding of the Selective Test theory and creating a supportive environment where they can motivate, support and challenge each other.
Small group classes have a maximum of 8 students - meaning students get personalised guidance from our teachers in a supportive learning community.
This class will commence after the OC Test and run until the Selective Test.
Class Structure
This schedule includes a break.
Homework Help (10 minutes)
Help with Alpha One homework from previous week.
Reading (40 minutes)
Examine different text types and build comprehension & analytical techniques.
Mathematical Reasoning (40 minutes)
Mixed maths for revision and identifying weak areas.
Topic of the week focusing on mathematical theory and application for speed and accuracy.
Thinking Skills (35 minutes)
Strong focus on development of critical thinking and problem solving skills.
Topic of the week focusing on thinking skills concepts and application to questions with speed and accuracy.
Writing (25 minutes)
Perfecting ‘The Selective Test Writing Formula’ (exclusive to Alpha One Coaching College) to create engaging pieces of writing.
Developing and refining writing techniques for a range of text types.
WEMT vs STTC: What’s the Difference?
Wondering how WEMT and STTC differ, and why many families enrol in both? See our comparison below.
Both WEMT and STTC play important but different roles in preparing your child for the Selective Test.
Together, they provide a comprehensive pathway, combining skill-building and exam practice. Classes are kept in small-group classes with personalised tutor feedback. Most families choose both courses for the best preparation.
STTC Classes
3.5 hours per week
10 weeks per term
Max. 8 students per class
[Selective Trial Test Class]
Our Selective Trial Test Course is designed to help students prepare for the Selective Test through practice in simulated exam conditions on computers to train speed and accuracy.
This course follows a fortnightly rotation throughout the term, alternating between Writing & Thinking Skills and Reading & Mathematical Reasoning tests, completed on computers provided by Alpha One. After each set of tests, a tutor-guided review session is held during the lesson, helping students go through their answers and master essential exam techniques
Tests are based on the most recent Selective Tests and information released by the Department of Education. Students will receive a printed set of exam questions to take home, along with a fortnightly comprehensive performance report that provides valuable insights into their progress. The report will include:
Rankings and Band Placements—showing your child’s standing relative to their peers and tracking their progress in preparation.
School Rankings—colour-coded recommendations indicating the level of difficulty for school entry based on your child’s performance.
Subject Breakdown—offering a detailed analysis of individual subject scores, cohort averages, and question-level insights to help identify areas that need further attention.
This class will start in Term 2 of Year 5 and run until the Selective Test.
Class Structure
'Thinking Skills & Writing' Week
Thinking Skills Test (40mins)
Writing Test (30mins)
Break (10mins)
Test Review (2hrs 10mins)
'Mathematical Reasoning & Reading' Week
Mathematical Reasoning Test (40mins)
Reading Test (40mins)
Break (10mins)
Test Review (2hrs)
Intensive English Course
2 hours per week
10 weeks per term
Max. 8 students per class
[Writing & Reading Skills]
For students looking to improve their Writing and Reading Comprehension skills, Alpha One offers Intensive English classes which target every aspect required to score high marks.
Although our WEMT classes go through the tools and techniques needed to do well, students will need to spend many extra hours practising at home to master skills in English.
Our classes teach students to work smart by providing all the crucial information and taking the guesswork out of how to study correctly for English.
This class will commence after the OC Test and run until the Selective Test.
Class Structure
This schedule includes a break.
Mini Writing Assessment - 5 mins
A quick writing assessment conducted under exam conditions to gauge each child’s raw writing ability and creativity under pressure.
Vocabulary - 10 mins
Mix and match exercise/cloze passages to test students’ vocabulary as well as learning new words to incorporate into their vernacular and writing.
Reading Comprehension - 25 mins
Analysis of different text types’ structural or technical elements and how to correctly interpret them.
Grammar - 15 mins
Train students to not only learn correct grammar but also how to implement and execute it in order to develop great grammar habits.
Sentence Building - 25 mins
Guidance on how to improve cohesion, clarity and specificity to sentences using high level vocabulary, correct syntax and varying sentence structure.
Writing - 40 mins
Developing students’ understanding towards different text types and how to approach writing prompts.
(2hrs)
Foundations Course
2.5 hours per week
10 weeks per term
Max. 8 students per class
[Core English and Maths skills]
Our Foundation classes for Year 5 & 6 focus on building upon knowledge taught at school and aim to be a stepping stone for students before they join the WEMT class. This course is recommended for students who need an extra push to bridge the gap between school work and the knowledge required for the Selective Test.
This class will commence after the OC Test and run until the Selective Test.
Class Structure
This schedule includes a break
Homework Help (10 minutes)
One-on-one help with Alpha One and school homework.
Reading (40 minutes)
Learn new vocabulary words each week.
Reading comprehension exercises that develop literal, inferential and evaluative understanding across written and visual texts.
Arithmetic (15 minutes)
Quick exercises with step-by-step review.
Skill of the Week (35 minutes)
A structured, weekly focus on core maths skills.
Mathematics (25 minutes)
Word problems with step-by-step review.
Writing (25 minutes)
Explanations of writing theory with accompanied tasks.
One on one feedback on writing tasks.
Why Choose Alpha One
Admissions into Selective Schools
Years of expert tutoring experience
Of students who came for a free trial loved us and enrolled